Hainan[a] is anislandprovince and the southernmost province ofChina consisting of theeponymousHainan Island and various smaller islands in theSouth China Sea under the province's administration. The name literally means "South of the Sea".
The province has a land area of 33,920 square kilometers (13,100 sq mi), of which Hainan Island is 32,900 square kilometers (12,700 sq mi) and the rest is over 200 islands scattered across threearchipelagos:Zhongsha,Xisha andNansha. It was part ofGuangdong from 1950 to 1988, after which it was made a province of its own and was designated as aspecial economic zone byDeng Xiaoping, as part of theChinese economic reform program.
The HanChinese population, who compose a majority of the population at 82%, speak a wide variety of languages includingStandard Chinese,Hainam Min,Yue Chinese,Cantonese,Hakka Chinese, etc.[6] Indigenous peoples such as theHlai, aKra–Dai-speakingethnic group, are native to the island and compose 15% of the population. Their native languages include theHlai languages. The Hlai are recognized by the Chinese government as one of the country's 56ethnic groups. Speakers ofBe, despite speaking a Kra-Dai language, are reckoned officially as ethnically Han Chinese. Hainan is also home to theJiamao language, of disputed provenance.
There are ten major cities and tencounties in Hainan Province. The capital of the province isHaikou, on the northern coast of Hainan Island, whileSanya is a well-known tourist destination on the southern coast. The other major cities areWenchang,Sansha,Qionghai,Wanning,Wuzhishan,Dongfang andDanzhou.
According to China'sterritorial claims, several disputed territories in theSouth China Sea, including theSpratly Islands (Nansha) andParacel Islands (Xisha),[7] are administered under Sansha city of the province. While the Paracels are fully under China's control, many of the Spratly Islands are controlled by other countries, such asVietnam and thePhilippines.[8]
In 2020, a large-scale plan was announced by the Chinese government to transform the entire island province into afree trade port, with the aim of turning it into the largest free-trade port in the world by 2035. The plan involves building a hub for offshore financing andduty-free shopping, as well as using lower taxes and reduced visa requirements to help draw in foreign businesses and tourists. Moreover, all goods sold from Hainan to other parts of China would be treated as imports from 2025 onward. Chinese officials announced that the Hainan Free Trade Port will launch island-wide independent customs operations on December 18, 2025.[9][10][11][12][13]
The provincial name derives from its major island, Hainan, in Hainanese "Hai Nam", which is named after its position south of theQiongzhou Strait. (To the north of the strait, theLeizhou Peninsula in Guangdong is also known asHaibei/Hai Bac or "North of the Sea".) Former names for Hainan Island includeZhuya,Qiongya, andQiongzhou. The latter two gave rise to theprovincial abbreviation瓊 (Qióng/Kheng).
During the 17th and 18th centuries, explorers referred to the island as "Aynam",[14][15] which remains the pronunciation of its name in the localHainanese dialect.
According to some scholars, Hainan was originally attached to the Northeastern part of what is nowVietnam; however, the island was formed after it physically broke away fromVietnam due to avolcanic eruption and drifted southeast near China after theMesozoic, millions of years ago.[16]
TheBaiyue people are among the earliestKra-Dai residents to arrive on Hainan island. They are believed to have settled there at least two to six thousand years ago, and carry genetic markers from ancient people who reached the island between 7000–27,000 years ago.[17]
Depiction of the five lords, or five famous exiles to Hainan island
Hainan Island was recorded by Chinese officials in 110 BC, when the WesternHan dynasty established a militarygarrison there following the arrival ofGeneral Lu Bode. The process ofsinicization in Hainan was driven by the conjunction of Han territorial expansion and the arrival of Han Chinese military and administrative personnel who settled on the island. Over the course of many centuries, dynastic Chinese ruling authorities exiled individuals condemned by the imperial courts as criminals or political dissidents were frequently banished to Hainan island and northern Vietnam, regions that were both integral parts governed typically under the jurisdiction of Guangdong province during different Chinese dynasties, where they were subjected to harsh labor in the tropical climate as a form of punishment.
One of the most famous exiled individuals wasSu Shi, a well-knownintellectual, poet, andpolitician of theSong era, who offended many of his colleagues and superiors in the royal court. Shi wrote extensively about his exiled experiences on the island during the 11th century AD. After the 11th century AD, large numbers of Han Chinese people from Fujian and Guangdong began migrating to theLeizhou peninsula and Hainan island to settle down their roots by seeking greener pastures on new land to establish themselves. This influx displaced the indigenous Li people, who were among theBaiyue tribes in southern China, driving them out towards the mountainous regions of the southern portion of the island. Hainan was placed under the administration of Guangdong by the rulingMing dynasty.
TheJapanese occupied the island in 1939 during theSecond Sino-Japanese War.[18] The surviving ROC forces retreated into the interior and demanded material support from the indigenousHlai people.[19] The ROC suppressed the Hlai's revolt, the Baisha Uprising, and executed reprisals;[20] the Hlai subsequently allied with the Communist's Hainan Independent Column led byFeng Baiju.[21]
The ROC reestablished control over the island after theSecond World War.[22] With the resumption of theChinese Civil War, the ROC was unable to suppress the islands' Communist movement, but the movement was also too weak to take control of the island.[23] By 1950, the Communists controlled most of mainland China, founded the People's Republic of China (PRC), and were seeking to conquer the islands along the coast.[24][25] The PRCinvaded on 16 April 1950[26] and was in control of the island by 1 May.[26]
A beachside resort inSanya, the second largest city in Hainan
On 1 May 1950, under the People's Republic of China, the Hainan Special Administrative Region became an Administrative Region Office (海南行政区公署), a branch of the Guangdong provincial government. During the mid-1980s, when Hainan Island was still part of Guangdong Province, a fourteen-month episode of marketing zeal by Hainan Special District Administrator Lei Yu[27] put Hainan's pursuit of provincial status under a cloud. It involved the duty-free imports fromHong Kong of 90,000 Japanese-made cars and trucks at a cost of¥ 4.5 billion (US$1.5 billion), and exporting them – with the help of local naval units – to the mainland, making 150% profits. By comparison, only 10,000 vehicles were imported into Hainan since 1950. In addition, it involved further consignments of 2.9 million TV sets, 252,000 videocassette recorders & 122,000 motorcycles. The money was taken from the 1983 central government funds destined for the construction of the island's transportation infrastructure (roads, railways, airports, harbors) over the next ten years.[citation needed]
On 1 October 1984, it became the Hainan Administrative Region (海南行政区), with its own People's Government, and finally as a province separate fromGuangdong four years later. In 1988, when the island was made a separate province, it was designated aSpecial Economic Zone in an effort to increase investment.
The central government funds were deemed insufficient by the Hainan authorities for the construction of the island's other infrastructure (e.g. water works, power stations, telecommunications) and had taken a very liberal interpretation of the economic and trade regulations for Hainan and thirteen coastal cities; the regulations did not mention on prohibiting the re-selling of second-hand goods. Some of the proceeds, from unsold units, were later retrieved by the central government to re-finance the special district.
In June 2020, China announced a master plan forHainan Free Trade Port system. Announced by state-owned media Xinhua News Agency, Hainan will "basically establish a free trade port system by 2025 and become more mature by 2035."[28][29]South China Morning Post described such an initiative as an effort of PRC to "replace Hong Kong as the trading entrepôt" while Cheng Shi of ICBC International has refused to accept such a claim.[30][31] Additionally, experts have raised concerns about the question of compliance of global trading practices particularly for this project.[32][33]
In July 2025, Chinese officials announced that the Hainan Free Trade Port will launch island-wide independent customs operations on December 18, 2025.[13]
Hainan, separated by the 20 km (12 mi) wideQiongzhou Strait from theLeizhou Peninsula ofGuangdong, is the 42nd largest island in the world. The area of Hainan Island (32,900 km2 (12,700 sq mi), 97% of the province) is slightly smaller than that ofTaiwan Island. To the west of Hainan Island is theGulf of Tonkin.Wuzhi Mountain is the highest mountain on the island at 1,840 m (6,040 ft).
Hainan Island measures 288 km (179 mi) long and 180 km (110 mi) wide.
The northern half of Hainan is covered with the ancientHainan Volcanic Field. Beneath the topsoil isvolcanic rock while the topsoil itself contains small pieces of thisvesicular rock.
Wetland covers 320,000 hectares, 78,000 hectares of which were created artificially. Most of this is located in the eastern and northern part of Hainan.[34]
Most of the rivers in Hainan originate in the central area of the island and flow radially in different directions. TheNandu River in the northern part of the island is 314 km (195 mi) long, and itstributary, theXinwu River, is 109 km (68 mi) long. Other major rivers include theWanquan River at 162 km (101 mi)-long in the east,Changhua River in the west, and theSanya andTaiyang Rivers in the south. Evaporation during the dry season around the coastal areas greatly reduces the flow of the rivers.
There are very few natural lakes in Hainan. However, there are numerousreservoirs, the largest of which is theSongtao Reservoir in the central-north area.
A number of small islands, which are located hundreds of kilometers to the south, are claimed and administered bySansha as part of Hainan Province.[35] Sovereignty of these islands is however disputed. These islands include:
Compared to most of mainland China, the air quality of Hainan is significantly better since it is not affected by factory pollution, which has adversely affected the air on the mainland. Throughout 2012, Hainan had the highest air quality in the country for 351 days.[citation needed]
The provincial government's environmental protection campaign has taken action against a number of industrial plants. During 2012, several outdated manufacturing facilities had their business licenses revoked, and 175 cases related to illegal sewage discharge were handled.[citation needed]
Total sulfur dioxide emissions for the province were 34,000 tons in 2012, a 3 percent year-on-year reduction. In 2011, smog emissions were reduced 6.3 percent to 15,000 tons.[citation needed]
Protected areas include theYinggeling-Limushan andWuzhishan-Diaoluoshan nature reserves.[36]
The climate of Hainan is mostly tropical. The island's two largest cities,Haikou andSanya, both possess atropical Köppen climate. The annual average temperature ranges from 23 to 28 °C (73 to 82 °F),Haikou is 24.7 °C (76.5 °F),Sanya is 26.5 °C (79.7 °F). The coldest months are January when temperatures drop to 17 to 24 °C (63 to 75 °F); the hottest months are June and July, and the temperatures are 26 to 31 °C (79 to 88 °F). The daily average temperature in Hainan in all months is well above 10 °C (50 °F).
The summer in the northern part is hotter and,(for more than 20 days in a year, the temperature can be higher than 35 °C (95 °F)[citation needed])
. The average annual precipitation is 1,500 to 2,000 millimeters (59 to 79 in) and can be as high as 2,400 millimeters (94 in) in central and eastern areas, and as low as 900 millimeters (35 in) in the coastal areas of the southwest. Parts of Hainan lie in the path oftyphoons, and 70% of the annual precipitation is derived from typhoons and the summer rainy season. Major flooding occurs due to typhoons, which can cause many problems for local residents.
From January to February, the island of Hainan is often affected by thick fog, particularly in coastal areas and the northern part of the island. This is caused by cold winter air from the north coming into contact with the warmer sea, causing the moisture that evaporates from the sea to be condensed into fog. The fog remains from day to night, and is evenly distributed. Visibility may be reduced to 50 meters (160 ft) for days at a time. During this period, residents normally keep windows shut. The moisture in the air is so extreme that the walls in homes weep, and floors often accumulate a layer of water.[citation needed]
This view inWanning near the southeast coast is typical of the inland countryside.
Hainan has over 1,500 km2 (580 sq mi) of tropical forest, in which can be found over 4,600 types of plants and more than 570 species of animals.[38] The nature observation databaseiNaturalist.org currently lists 6,687 species of plants, animals andfungi as having been observed on Hainan Island (in 2024).[38] In modern times, however, the small island's natural balance has been threatened, largely due to the introduction ofexotic species, as well as human impacts fromtourism,deforestation, and the use ofherbicides,pesticides and other suchpollutants. A report from the Department of Land, Environment and Resources of Hainan Province states that 200 species are near extinction, with six plant species, such asMaytenus hainanensis andSciaphila tenella, having been declared extinct.[39]
The majority of Hainan's land area is covered in forest, with 61.5% total coverage. At the end of 2012, nearly 210,000 hectares (518,921 acres) of forest-cover was reported–an increase of 34,133 hectares (84,340 acres) from the previous year. A further 1,187 hectares (2,930 acres) ofgrasses and trees have been planted along the province's highways.[40]
4,200 known species of plants are native to the island, including severalendemic species, such as those within the generaWenchengia andMetapetrocosmea.[36] Additionally, theCathayanthe andChunia genera are found only on Hainan and in northern Vietnam.
Even with over ten million human inhabitants, Hainan contains several protected areas and wildlife preserves. The most ubiquitous smaller species on the island include such animals asfrogs,toads,geckos,skinks, andbutterflies; as with many adjacent tropical regions, theArthropoda andinvertebrates are well-represented here, withmosquitoes naturally being very common at certain times of the year. The swarms of biting, flying insects actually play a key role in islandfood chains andecosystems, not only being consumed by many other species (such asbats andbirds) but serving aspollinators for many types offlowering plants. Hainan's lakes and waterways are populated with various freshwater fishes, such ascarp andcatfish, whosefry readily consume both mosquito eggs and larvae (laid on the water's surface) for sustenance.
Hainan black crested gibbon (Nomascus hainanus) is one of the world's most endangered primates.Seacology, a non-profit organization in Berkeley, California, United States, initiated a project to protect the highly endangered Hainan gibbon in exchange for scholarships for the children of four villages nearHainan Bawangling National Nature Reserve.
Hainan hare (Lepus hainanus) is a species of hare endemic to Hainan.
A subspecies of theleopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis alleni) is endemic to Hainan.
Historical ethnolinguistic groups on Hainan, 1967 map. The dark green region is dominated by theHainanese varieties ofMin Chinese, while people in the light green region mainly speakLi/Hlai languages (Link to entire map including key).
The population density of Hainan is low compared to most coastal Chinese provinces.
In 2000, the ethnic groups of Hainan included the Han-ChineseHainanese, who are the majority (84% of the population) and speak the Min language, theLi (Hlai) (14.7% of the population); theMiao (0.7%) and theZhuang (0.6%).[citation needed] The Li, who speak a Tai-Kradai language, are the largest indigenous group on the island in terms of population. Also found on the island are theUtsuls, descendants ofCham refugees, who are classified asHui by the Chinese government because of their Islamic religion. There is aTanka community that lives at Sanya Bay.[49]
The Li people mainly reside in the nine cities and counties in the middle and southern part of Hainan – the cities of Sanya,Wuzhishan and Dongfang, the Li autonomous counties ofBaisha, Lingshui, Ledong,Changjiang, and the 'Li and Miao Autonomous Counties ofQiongzhong andBaoting'. Some others live elsewhere on Hainan with other ethnic groups in Danzhou, Wanning, Qionghai, Lingshui and Tunchang. The area inhabited by the Li ethnic group totals 18,700 square kilometers (7,200 sq mi), about 55 percent of the province's total.[50]
Haikou, the capital of the province as seen looking south fromEvergreen Park, a large park located on the north shore of the city
Although they are indigenous to the island and do not speak a Chinese language, theLimgao (Ong-Be) people near the capital (8% of the Hainan population) are counted as Han Chinese by the Chinese government.
Most of the Hainanese population practicesChinese folk religion andChinese Buddhism. TheLi population has aTheravada Buddhist minority. Most of theUtsuls of the island, a branch ofCham people living nearSanya, areMuslims. Because Hainan was a point in the travel route of missionaries, there are someChristians. According to the Chinese General Social Survey of 2009, Christians constitute 0.48% of the province's population.[51]
Most people in Hainan speak a variety ofMin Chinese known asHainanese. Other Chinese varieties and non-Chinese languages are spoken as well:
Standard Mandarin (Putonghua) is widely known as in the rest of China. Mandarin is especially common in the city ofSanya.
In Yacheng city (as well as its vicinity several dozen miles west of Huihui and Huixin), the so-calledmilitary speech dialect of Mandarin (the official language of the southwest among the northern Chinese dialects) is spoken.
In Yanglan village in the northeast, two Min dialects, both closely related to Cantonese, are spoken: theMai dialect and theDanzhou dialect, spoken in Haipo Village in the south, which is the same dialect as the dialect spoken in Danzhou in Dan Country in the northern part of the island.
There are roughly 4,500Utsul people living in the villages of Yanglan (羊栏) and Huixin (回新), two villages on the outskirts of Sanya. They speak theTsat language, a member of theAustronesianChamic languages.
Standard Mandarin serves as alingua franca between different ethnic groups. Adults who are members of a minority also have quite high literacy skills in Chinese. Most adults speak several Chinese dialects, and some also speakLi.
When Chams interact with theHainanese dialect speakers from within Hainan Province, they use the Hainanese dialect, though youngsters generally use Mandarin. Not many can communicate in Li, so the Hainanese dialect or Mandarin is often used.
In the market place and within the Sanya Municipality, the Cham speakers use Cham among themselves, and with others mostly use the Hainanese dialect. However, in the market places near the government seat of Yanglan Township, the Chams either use the Hainanese dialect or the Mai dialect.[52]
The people of Hainan live longer than those on the mainland. At the end of 2017, there were 1,565centenarians in Hainan. For every 100,000 people in the province, 17.13 were centenarians. As of 8 March 2018, there were 287,700 residents over 80 years of age, making up 3.15% of the population.[53]
Han dynasty seal unearthed in Hainan in 1984Han seal text: "Zhulu zhikui" – Zhuya commandery was abolished in 46 BC and reorganized as Zhulu county underHepu Commandery
Even when Hainan Island was a part ofGuangdong, it had a considerable amount of local autonomy; the southern half of the island was anautonomous prefecture. Hainan's elevation to provincial level in 1988 increased itsaccountability to theCentral People's Government, but by designating the new province aspecial economic zone the central government expressed its intent to allow Hainan maximum flexibility in devising programs to facilitateforeign investment andeconomic growth. Administratively, the province has been divided into five economic major districts.[citation needed]
On 13 April 1988, the First Session of the SeventhNational People's Congress decided to establish Hainan Province, and at the same time granted the Hainan Provincial People's Congress and its Standing Committee special legislative power.[54] After the 2019 free trade port plan is proposed, Hainan can enact legislation in economic, cultural, local affairs, social management, etc., and implement it in the Hainan Free Trade Zone (port).[55]
Per the research conducted byInformation Warfare Monitor, Hainan is the physical location ofGhostNet. The Chinese government has officially denied the existence of a cyber war and intelligence operations anywhere on the island.
In the officialPRC territorial claim, Hainan Province includes not just one island, but also some two hundredSouth China Sea Islands. While the containment of the South China Sea Islands means that Hainan Province has a very large water body, it has a disproportionally small land area.James Shoal (曾母暗沙, Zēngmǔ Ànshā), which is presently marked by the PRC, signifies the country's southernmost border. ButMalaysia also claims that it is on their continental shelf.
Hainan Province uses a slightly different administrative system than the otherprovinces of China. Most other provinces are divided entirely intoprefecture-level divisions, each of which is then divided entirely intocounty-level divisions. County-level divisions generally do not come directly under the province. In Hainan, nearly all county-level divisions (the eight districts excepted) come directly under the province. This method of division is due to Hainan's relatively sparse population, totaling 9.26 million as of 2017.[56]
A typical example of an urban development. The above images show the same place inGuilinyang roughly four and a half years apart.
Old town of Haikou, 2021
Hainan's economy is predominantly agricultural, and more than a half of the island's exports are agricultural products. Hainan's elevation to province-level status (1988), however, was accompanied by its designation as China's largest "special economic zone", the intent being to hasten the development of the island's plentiful resources. Prior to this, the province had a reputation for being a "Wild West" area, largely untouched byindustrialization; even today there are relatively fewfactories in the province.Tourism plays an important part of Hainan's economy, thanks largely to its tropical beaches and lush forests. The central government has encouraged foreign investment in Hainan and has allowed the island to rely to a large extent on market forces.[64]
Hainan's industrial development largely has been limited to the processing of its mineral and agricultural products, particularlyrubber andiron ore. Since the 1950s, machinery, farm equipment, andtextiles have been manufactured in theHaikou area for local consumption. A major constraint on industrial expansion has been an inadequate supply ofelectricity. Much of the island's generating capacity ishydroelectric, and it is subject to seasonal fluctuations in stream and river flows.[65]
In December 2009, the government of China announced that it plans to establish Hainan as an "international tourist destination" by 2020.[66] This announcement contributed to a surge in the province's economy, with a year-on-year increase in investment of 136.9% in the first three months of 2010. Hainan's real estate sector accounted for more than one third of the province's economic growth.[67]
According to the Statistical Communiqué of National Economic and Social Development of the statistical authority, theGDP of Hainan Province in 2017 was 446.3 billionyuan (66.1 billionUS dollars), up by 7.0 percent over the previous year. Of this total, thevalue added of the primary industry was 97.9 billion yuan (14.5 billion US dollars), up by 3.6 percent, that of the secondary industry was 99.7 billion yuan (14.8 billion US dollars), up by 2.7 percent and that of the tertiary industry was 248.6 billion yuan (36.8 billion US dollars), up by 10.2 percent. The value added of the primary industry accounted for 21.95 percent of the GDP; that of the secondary industry accounted for 22.34 percent; and that of the tertiary industry accounted for 55.71 percent. The per capita GDP in 2017 was 48,430 yuan (7,173 US dollars).[68]
The hotHainan yellow lantern chili, a variety similar to the scotch bonnet, is unique to the island, and is grown in the southeast and southwest.
The total tropical crop area of Hainan is 100,000 hectares.[69]
Hainan is a major rubber producer. In the early 20th centuryChinese emigrants returning from thenBritish Malaya, introducedrubber trees to the island; after 1950, state farms were developed, and Hainan now produces a substantial amount of China's rubber. Natural rubber is now grown on 246,000 hectares of land. This ranks 6th in the world in harvest area and 5th in terms of output.[69]
Hainan has almost 93,000 hectares ofareca palms. The product, theareca nut, is consumed locally and also sent to the mainland. Ninety-five percent of China's production of this nut is produced in Hainan.[70]
Domesticated farm animals comprise mainly goats, cows, water buffalo, chickens, geese and ducks.
Grouper, Spanish mackerel, and tuna[citation needed] constitute the bulk of the catch from offshore fishing grounds. Scallops and pearls are raised in shallow bays and basins for local use and export.
Shrimp production is estimated to have been 120,000 to 150,000 metric tons (130,000 to 170,000 short tons) in 2007, more than 50% of which was exported. Hainan has over 400hatcheries, most being located between Wenchang and Qionghai.
Tilapia production in 2008 was 300,000 metric tons (330,000 short tons). The island has an estimated 100,000 local, commercial fish farming families.[71]
Located in Sanya, this beach is typical of those along the entire eastern coast of Hainan
Hainan Island is often divided into eight regions for tourism purposes: Haikou and area (Haikou,Qiongshan,Ding'an); the Northeast (Wenchang); the Central East Coast (Qionghai, Ding'an); the South East Coast; the South (Sanya); the West Coast also called theChinese Riviera (Ledong, Dongfang, Xianghsui, Changjiang); the North West (Danzhou, Lingao, Chengmai); and the Central Highlands (Baisha, Qiongzhong, and Wuzhishan/Tongzha).
Popular tourist destinations include the beaches and resorts in the southern part of the province. Inland isFive Finger Mountain, a scenic area. Tourists also visit the capital of Haikou with area visitor attractions such asMovie Town Haikou andHoliday Beach.
In 2000, the province initiated a visa-upon-arrival policy for foreign tourist groups. It is available to citizens of twenty-six countries, and was established in order to attract visitors.
Beginning 1 May 2018, citizens of 59 countries will be able to visit Hainan for 30 days without requiring a visa, provided that they come on a tour via a travel agency. Countries included among the 59 are: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Singapore, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, UAE, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States.[72]
During 2008, 20.6 million tourists visited Hainan, producing total revenues of 19.23 billion yuan (US$2.81 billion). Of these tourists, 979,800 were from overseas with the largest numbers coming from South Korea, Russia and Japan.[73]
In 2010, the amount of overnight tourists visiting Hainan was 25.87 million, 663,000 of which came from outside China.[74]
During 2011, more than 30 million tourists visited Hainan, mostly from mainland China. Of the 814,600 overseas tourists, 227,600 of them came from Russia, a 53.3 percent a rise year-on-year.[75] Total revenue during that year was 32 billion RMB ($4.3 billion US), up 25 percent from 2010.[76]
In the first quarter of 2012, the Hainan Provincial Tourism Development Commission reports that Hainan received 208,300 overnight visitors, 25 percent of whom came from Russia.[75]
In 2014, Hainan received 50.2 million tourists, 660,000 of whom were from overseas.[77]
During 2015, Hainan received 53 million visitors.[78]
In 2016, over 60 million tourists went to Hainan, up 12.9% from 2015.[79]
During 2018, the province received over 76 million domestic and overseas tourists, a year-on-year increase of 11.8%. Revenue also increased 14.5% compared to the previous year for a total of 95 billion RMB (US$14 billion).[80][81]
The government of Hainan is expanding the province'smedical tourism industry.[82][83] The provincial government has established theBoao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone in theBo'ao area. The zone is located six kilometers from the Boao Forum for Asia and covers 20 square kilometers.[84] This was announced at theBoao Forum for Asia in 2011.[85] The State Council has approved the development ofLecheng Island[86] as a medical tourism-themed destination.[87] Lecheng Island is a small island in the Wanquan River about 3 km (1.9 mi) west of the coastal town of Bo'ao on the west coast of the province. Construction on the 20 km2. The zone was begun in December 2014 and will cost a projected 1.5 billion yuan. It was scheduled for completion in 2016 and is the first special zone for medical travel in China.[88] As part of the zone, theBoao Super Hospital opened in 2018.
Haikou is the province's capital and contains interesting historic sites. Also known as Coconut City, Haikou is a major port. TheFive Officials Temple (Chinese:五公祠;pinyin:Wǔgōng cí,20°0′35.79″N110°21′17.34″E / 20.0099417°N 110.3548167°E /20.0099417; 110.3548167) consists of five traditional temples and halls that were built in honor of five officials of the Tang (618–907) and Song (960–1279) dynasties. These officials were banished to Hainan for periods ranging from 11 days to 11 years for speaking out against what they felt were wrong practices by the emperors. (It is perhaps significant that the establishment of the Five Officials Temple in the late 19th century coincides with a time when China's territorial integrity was under threat, and that several of the officials honored here were exiled for espousing aggressive policies on the recapture of the north of China from theJurchens during the SouthernSong dynasty.)
Xiuying Fort was built in 1891 to defend the southeastern corner of China during theSino-French War. The Xiuying Fort Barbette covers about a third of an acre. Its five large cannons are still intact and viewable at the site.
The Tomb ofHai Rui (20°0′29.66″N110°17′30.18″E / 20.0082389°N 110.2917167°E /20.0082389; 110.2917167) is a key national cultural protection site.Hai Rui was a compassionate and popular official of Hainanese origins who lived during the Ming dynasty. He was famous for his lifelong honesty and his willingness to speak out on behalf of local people. In later life, Hai Rui was persecuted and fell out of favor with the emperor. His admirers built the Hai Rui Tomb after his death to commemorate his great works. Construction of the tomb began in 1589.
TheYangpu Ancient Salt Field is a heritage site in Yantian village onYangpu Peninsula. The area comprises more than 1,000 stones, cut flat on top, used to dry seawater to produce salt.
Yalong Bay, the most expensive and well-known beach in Hainan, and the location of numerous 5-star hotels.
Hainan Island has a number of beaches, hot springs and other attractions. Some top scenic sites include Yalong bay National Resort; Dadonghai Tourist Resort; Qizhi Shan (Seven Finger Mountain), Nuilin mountain tropical botanical reserve in Lingshui county,Guantang Hot Spring Resort,Shishan Volcanic Garden; theWanquan River, Baishi Ridge Scenic Zone and Baihua Ridge.
Monkey Island, near the well-known perfume bay or Xiangshui Wan, a popular tourist destination located inLingshui County, is a state-protected nature reserve formacaques.
Yalong Bay (Crescent Dragon Bay or Yalong Wan), a 7 km (4.3 mi) long beach east of Sanya City.
To encourage the international yachting community, new regulations now allow foreign yachts to stay for a total of 183 days each year, with a maximum single stay duration of 30 days. 13 additional ports will be built around the island to accommodate this market.[74]
On 20 April 2011, a pilotduty-free program commenced with the aim of increasingluxury goods purchases. It permits domestic Chinese visitors to claim tax refunds on imported luxury items purchased within the province. The maximum value is set at 5,000 yuan (US$762), with lowered tax rates on purchases over 5,000 yuan.[89] In October 2012, duty limits were raised to 8,000 yuan ($1,273), and became available to both domestic and international tourists.[90]
The total sales of duty-free products for 2012 was 2.4 billion yuan.[91]
The world's largest duty-free shopping complex is scheduled to open inHaitang Bay in August 2014.[92]
During 2018 Spring Festival, Hainan recorded a 25% increase in duty-free revenue, with 450 million yuan ($71 million) in sales. The two duty-free shops, located in Sanya and Haikou, received about 99,000 customers, a 32% gain.[93]
During 2018, the two duty-free shops had sales of more than 10 billion RMB and received 2.88 million customers.[80]
Hainan has commercially exploitable reserves of more than 30minerals.Iron, first mined by the Japanese during their occupation of the island inWorld War II, is the most important. Also important aretitanium,manganese,tungsten,bauxite,molybdenum,cobalt,copper,gold, andsilver. There are large deposits oflignite andoil shale on the island, and significant offshore finds ofoil andnatural gas have been discovered. Virgin forests in the interior mountains contain more than 20 commercially valuable species, includingteak andsandalwood.
In 1990, Hainan province was the site of the largest property bust in modern Chinese history[66] With 2009 and the announcement of the Chinese Government's plan to develop the province into a major international tourist location, property sales rose by 73%, creating the possibility of another bubble in Hainan's property market.[66]
Since March 2010, commercial and residential property values in some parts of Hainan have slowed down since the market peaked in February.In March, average month-on-month transaction prices dropped 12.82% to 12,280 RMB per square meter, with a reduction in volume to 627,000 square meters (6,750,000 sq ft), a 19.05% decline. Later in April, prices declined 2.84% to 11,932 yuan per square metre, with a 57.59% decline in volume to 567,200 square meters (6,105,000 sq ft). Then in May prices declined a further 29.74% from the previous month to 8,483 yuan per square metre, with a 57.95% decline in volume to 229,000 square meters (2,460,000 sq ft).[94] However, property prices in the tourist resort of Sanya remain strong as of January 2011, with prime developments selling at prices of up to 80,000 RMB per square metre.
Data for 2016 data shows that Hainan saw an increase in house sales of 44%. Volume in sales was 129 billion RMB ($18.82 billion) which is a rise of 51.2 percent year-on-year. During that year in November, commercial apartments in Sanya sold for 20,695 RMB per square meter a rise of 15.75% year-on-year. The total amount of Sanya real estate sold during that time was 212,400 square meters.[95]
Out of China's twenty leading real estate developers, eighteen had invested in Hainan during 2016.[95]
In the beginning of 2017, the price for a house in Haikou was approximately 8,000 RMB ($1,170) per square meter and 20,000 RMB ($2,977) per square meter in Sanya.[96]
On 23 April 2018, new rules came into effect regarding home purchases in Hainan. To be able to buy a house, non-Hainan residents must prove that they have a minimum of one family member who has been paying taxes or social security for at least 2 years.
Those non-Hainan residents who wish to purchase a house in Haikou, Sanya and Qionghai must prove that they have a minimum of one family member who has been paying taxes or social security for at least 5 years.
In Wuzhishan, Baoting, Qiongzhong and Baisha (the "central ecological core areas"), houses may only be purchased by local residents.
When non-residents do buy a property, the down payment must be at least 70 per cent. In order to curb speculation, owners may not sell their property for five years after receiving their ownership certificate.[97]
This industry is expanding in Hainan, with numerous courses being constructed, includingMission Hills Haikou, which is one of the largest golf complexes in the world. The golf industry attracts foreign investment and overseas golfers from such countries as Australia, South Korea, and Japan.
Automotive manufacturing is one of Eight industrial pillar industries. Hainan's automotive output was 39,600 in 2017, down by 41.1 percent over the previous year. Domestic Chinese manufacturer,[68]Haima Automobile has its global headquarters inHaikou.
As of 2017, the total value of imports and exports of goods reached 70,237 millionyuan (10,403 millionUS dollars). Of which, the value of goods exported was 29,566 million yuan (4,379 million US dollars), the value of goods imported was 40,671 million yuan (6,024 million US dollars).[68]
Asean was Hainan's largest export trade partner in 2017, the value of goods exported to Asean was 12,289 yuan (1,820 million US dollars), accounted for 41.56 per cent of the total value of goods exported. Its second-largest foreign trade partner wasHong Kong, the value of goods exported to Hong Kong was 2,966 yuan (439 million US dollars), accounted for 10.03 per cent of that. the 3rd largest partner was EU, the value of goods exported to EU was 2,186 yuan (324 million US dollars), accounted for 7.39 per cent of that.[68]
On 13 April 2018,General Secretary of the Chinese Communist PartyXi Jinping announced a plan to gradually make the island into a pilot free trade zone by 2020, and transform the entire island into a free trade port by 2025. This will involve inviting foreign and multi-national companies to set up their regional and international headquarters in Hainan.[98] Goods and services would be subject to low or even no tariffs. The zone will become China's largest free trade zone, and the first trade port since 1949, when the People's Republic of China was founded.[99] Part of the plan is to establish exchanges in commodities and carbon trading, international energy, and shipping. Emphasis will also be placed on the development of service industries including tourism, the Internet, healthcare, finance, as well as conference and exhibitions hosting.[99]
Since the announcement in April 2018, Hainan had signed 159 contracts with major companies. In September 2018, China National Travel Service Group, China's biggest travel business conglomerate, relocated its headquarters from Beijing to Haikou. In October 2018,Baidu and Hainan signed a deal to build a 10-billion-yuan (US$1.45 billion) eco-village.[100]
To bring talented workers to Hainan, in November 2018 the Hainan government held arecruitment fair in Beijing in an effort to bring 7,471 people to Hainan to work in government agencies, companies, and other institutions.[101]
Established prior to this announcement, and currently in existence, are the following economic and technological development zones:
In June 2020, China set the corporate incometax rate for Hainan Free Trade port enterprises engaged in specified manufacturing activities.[102]: 137
In 2021, Hainan Free Trade Port Law of the People's Republic of China was adopted by theNational People's Congress and ratified under the No.85 Order of thePresident of the People's Republic of China in 2021.[103] According to the law, by 2025,feng guan (封关, which is directly translated into "customs closure") will be fully implemented and all goods sold to other parts of China from Hainan would be treated as imports, in a similar way asHong Kong SAR.[104]
Before 1950 there were practically no transport links with the interior of the island. The first roads were built in the early 20th century, but no major road construction was undertaken in the mountains until the 1950s. Parallel north–south roads along the east and west coasts and through the interior of the island constitute most of Hainan's road network.
Hainan is the only province in China that does not havehighway toll stations. This is due to the 1994 "fee-to-tax" reform.[99] Instead, road maintenance costs are raised through a 60% tax on fuel.[105]
There are several major highways and expressways linking Haikou on the north coast with Sanya on the south coast. TheG224 is 309 kilometers long and runs through the middle of the province. The Hainan Ring Highway has three parts: TheG225 is 429 km (267 mi) long and is the western part. For most of its length, the G225 runs parallel to theHainan western ring railway. TheG223 is the eastern part, running from Haikou to Sanya. It is 323 kilometers long. TheG98 is a 612.8-kilometer-long orbital expressway that encircles the island.Hainan Highway 1, a new 1,040-km-long scenic highway, will be built around the island, along the coast starting in May 2019.[106]
There are also numerous rural roads within the province. These are typically two-way asphalt roads and connect larger towns. Connecting the thousands of villages to one another and to farms, are concrete roads about 6 meters wide. Many of these were built from roughly from the year 2000 onward, and as of 2019, are still being built.
While a bridge connecting Hainan to the Leizhou peninsula on the mainland was planned in the early 2000s it never came to fruition. A bridge or tunnel received continued consideration in 2018, as travel by air or ferry can leave residents and visitors isolated when bad weather sets in.[107]
Today's Hainan is ringed by standard-gauge railways. Since 2004, arail ferry connects the island's railroad network to Guangdong, mainland China.[108] In 2005,Ministry of Communications allocated 20 million yuan (US$2.4 million) to set up a committee to research and study the possibility of a bridge or tunnel link connecting the island to the mainland.[109] From the ferry terminal, located nearHaikou railway station (west of Haikou), freight and passenger trains arriving from the mainland can proceed on theHainan western ring railway along the island's west coast, viaDongfang to Sanya. This railway line has been developed over several decades, starting with a few short3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm)narrow gauge lines constructed during the Japanese occupation in the early 1940s.
There is a high-speed railway ring around the island, formed by theeastern ring andwestern ring along the island's coast. Both high-speed railways are connected withHaikou andSanya. There are 15 stations along the east coast, and 16 stations along the west coast. Trains are designed to travel at 250 km/h (160 mph) on the east ring, and 200 km/h (120 mph) on the west ring. The total length of eastern ring is 308.11 km (191.45 mi), while the western ring is 344 kilometers (214 mi).[110] The first eastern ring high-speed train run started on 30 December 2010,[citation needed] and theHainan western ring high-speed railway started its operation in 2015.
Basuo Port inDongfang City is a small port on the west coast of Hainan. One of its main cargos is iron ore from theShilu Mine.
Hainan received 11,000 tons of products via ports November 2010, up 90.1 percent month-on-month. Between January and November 2010, 102,000 tons of products were exported via Hainan, 34,000 tons of which were exported to the US, and 14,000 tons sent to the EU.[113]
From 2015 to the present, a widespread program to improve cities and other settlements in Hainan island has been taking place. It includes the removal of litter from towns, villages, and many roadsides.Small, illegal dumps are being removed. However,illegal dumping ofconstruction debris still occurs on rural roads. Large, plastic dumpsters have been put in place within villages and at countryside road intersections. Towns are being improved with new road and sidewalk surfaces, landscaping features are being created, and many buildings are receiving new façades.
Thisinitiative in Haikou has seen entire neighborhoods demolished and rebuilt, sanitation improved, illegal structures used for business removed, roadside vendors banned, roads and sidewalks replaced, and new street crossings with traffic lights installed.
Starting from 1 May 2018, citizens of following 59 countries do not need a visa if they visit Hainan Island and stay no more than 30 days.[114][115] In July 2019, theChinese Ministry of Public Security andNational Immigration Administration announced an update and expansion of thevisa-free entry options for foreign nationals in Hainan. In addition to the existing visa-free entry for tourists from 59 countries, foreign nationals are now allowed visa-free entry for various purposes, including business, trade, visiting, family reunification, medical treatment, conferences and exhibitions, sports competitions, and more (excluding work and study). Moreover, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security and National Immigration Administration has extended the visa-free entry into Hainan by allowing individual self-application or entry through an entity invitation, replacing the previous invitation reception mode that involved travel agencies.[116]
In July 2019, the Chinese Ministry of Public Security and National Immigration Administration announced updated preferential policies that applied to the Hainan Province (Hainan Free Trade Zone).[116]
Foreign students who have obtained a master's or higher degree from Chinese universities can apply for a residency permit of up to 2 years for innovation and entrepreneurship in Hainan with the recommendation of their affiliated universities. Foreign students studying at overseas universities are allowed to engage in regular internships at Hainan's star-rated hotels, hospitals, international schools, and other entities. With the required invitation letter from the relevant entity and proof of enrollment at a foreign university, they can apply for the necessary visas for their internships.[116]
Chinese of foreign nationalities with a Ph.D. degree working in Hainan, or Chinese of foreign nationalities who have worked continuously in Hainan for at least 4 years with an accumulated residency of no less than 6 months each year, are eligible to apply for permanent residency. Their foreign spouses and minor children can also apply for permanent residency together. Foreign individuals who invest in innovative enterprises in Hainan and maintain stable investments with good tax records for three consecutive years, recommended by the Hainan Provincial People's Government, can apply for permanent residency. Foreign individuals who have worked continuously in Hainan for 4 years and meet the income and personal income tax payment standards in Hainan are eligible to apply for permanent residency.[116]
As a frontier region celebrated by such exiled poets asSu Dongpo, Hainan acquired an air of mystery and romance. The influx of large numbers of mainlanders after 1950 – particularly in the 1970s, when young Chinese from southern Guangdong were assigned to state farms to help develop Hainan, and in the 1980s, when thousands more came to take advantage of the economic opportunities offered – has perpetuated the frontier atmosphere on the island.[citation needed]
In the late 1960s, the influx ofsent-down youths (primarily from Guangdong) to Hainan island led to the use of the phrase, "being rooted in Hainan" to refer to commitment to the revolutionary cause.[117] By the early 1970s, the meaning of the phrase had evolved to refer to getting married and starting a family on the island.[117]
A large film studio is located in the south part of Haikou.Movie Town Haikou comprises several studio buildings and an artificial town used as filming sets and a visitor attraction.
Hainan cuisine is said to be "lighter, with mild seasonings." A lot of local taste is mixed with the Han Chinese taste. Seafood predominates the menu, as shrimp, crab, fish and other sea life are widely available.
Wenchang chicken
Wenchang chicken is a dish known throughout the province of Hainan. Although there are many varieties of this dish, the name is usually used to define a type of small, free-range chicken fromWenchang, located on the east coast of the province. As opposed tobattery chickens, its meat has more texture and is somewhat drier.
Hainanese chicken rice
Hainan chicken rice / Coibui is a famous dish in Southeast Asia, particularlySingapore andMalaysia, bearing the region's name. However, while many restaurants use chicken fat to quickly add flavor to the dish, the proper local method is to 'marinate' the rice with chicken soup to add a more full flavor.
Boao Forum for Asia, held inBoao, is an international high-level government, business, and academia forum.
H1 Hot Air Balloon Challenge is held annually in Haikou. Balloons from across the nation fly over the Qiongzhou Strait from Haikou to a designated location on the mainland inXunwen County, Guangdong.[121]
The novel,Red Detachment of Women, byLiang Xin, was set in Hainan. The novel was first adapted to a feature film in the 1950s, and then a ballet in the 1960s as one of theEight model plays. Most of the people of that time derived their romanticized image of Hainan Island from the scenes in the ballet, particularly that of the vivid forests of coconut trees, the Five Finger Mountain (Wuzhi Shan), and theWanquan River.
Two notable lighthouses are located on Hainan: theBaishamen Lighthouse andMulantou Lighthouse are among the tallest in the world, the latter being the tallest in China.
Hainan Kopi Tales is a Singaporean Chinese drama serial set in a famous Hainan coffee shop that explores the Hainanese way of life from the 1960s to the 1980s.
Hainan Resort is also a multiplayer map in the 2013 video gameBattlefield 4.
One of China's satellite launch centers is located in Hainan east of the city ofWenchang. TheWenchang Space Launch Site, a 1,200 hectares (3,000 acres) facility, is the closest Chinese launch center to the equator. The construction plan was first announced in October 2007. The new launch center began operations on 25 June 2016 with theLong March 7 rocket making itsmaiden flight.
The poetSu Shi (1036–1101) popularized Hainan's isolation and exoticism when he was exiled there under theSong dynasty. TheDongpo Academy was built on the site of the residence where he lived in exile.
Hai Rui (1514–1587) was a famous Chinese official of theMing dynasty. His name has come down in history as a model of honesty and integrity in office.
Chih-Ping Chen (1906–1983) was a distinguished diplomat and statesman for the Republic of China, who served to build the Yunnan-Burma Road, and a diplomatic career that spanned four decades.
^Westad, Odd Arne (2003).Decisive Encounters: The Chinese Civil War, 1946-1950. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. pp. 297–301.ISBN0-8047-4478-5.
^Subsequently, Vice Mayor of Shenzhen SEZ (May 1985 to January 1988), Executive Vice Mayor of Guangzhou (January 1988 to April 1992) and Vice Chairman of Guangxi AR (April 1992 to January 1996).
^中华人民共和国濒危物种科学委员会. [濒危物种数据库 – 鳀鲸 Balaenoptera edeni Anderson, 1879]. theCITES. Retrieved on 7 December 2014
^Wang, Peilei (王丕烈) (1984).中国近海鲸类的分布.CNKI.NET.辽宁省海洋水产研究所 (Liaoning Ocean and Fisheries Science Research Institute).Archived from the original on 21 October 2021. Retrieved7 December 2014.
^Census Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China; Population and Employment Statistics Division of the National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China (2012).中国2010人口普查分乡、镇、街道资料 (1 ed.). Beijing:China Statistics Print.ISBN978-7-5037-6660-2.
^海南吉林迈入"高铁时代" [Hainan Steps into an Era of High Speed Railways] (in Simplified Chinese).People's Daily Online. 31 December 2010. Archived fromthe original on 1 October 2011. Retrieved10 January 2012.
Murray, Jeremy A. (2017).China's Lonely Revolution: The Local Communist Movement of Hainan Island, 1926–1956. Albany, New York: State University of New York Press.ISBN9781438465319.
1 Provinces are merely formal entities within the constitutional structure, and have no governing power after the dissolution of their administrative organs in 2018. Cities and counties are thede facto principal administrative divisions of Taiwan.
Sarah Shair-Rosenfield (November 2020)."Taiwan Combined"(PDF). University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved29 May 2021.
.jpg)
.svg)
.svg)
.jpg)
.svg)
